History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 92

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

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A. G. Braden resigned in 1897 to practice law and was succeeded by H. H. Elliott, of Freeport, Pa. Next came A. A. Hays, W. D. Brightwell and then William Krichbaum. Since Prof. Krichbaum has been in charge the schools were put under the supervision of a borough superintendent and to this position Prof. Krichbaum was elected about three years ago.

Trinity Hall-The finest private grounds around

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Washington was for many years used as a school. Trin- ity Hall was founded in 1879 by William W. Smith, and was one of the oldest and most favorably known of the preparatory schools of this state. It was situated on an eminence, 1,200 feet above tide water, overlooking the town of Washington, Pa. The grounds were spa- cious and beautiful, containing about 40 acres, laid out many years ago by an eminent landscape gardener, and has the largest variety of trees of any land of the same area in this country.

After the death of William W. Smith, the direction of the school was assumed by Finis E. Montgomery and Charles H. Eckles. Teaching was discontinued a year or so ago.

Mr. Smith was an Episcopalian and his son, U. G. Smith, had attended a military school in an eastern state, so these two ideas prevailed in this academy which was intended to be also a homelike place for growing youth.

Washington Business College-The Washington Busi- ness College was founded in 1889 and occupied rooms on West Maiden street. In 1896 the present proprietor, Prof. Louis Van Orden, took charge. Sixty to 100. students are graduated each year. Two teachers aid Prof. Van Orden. The school has occupied the third floor of the Smith building, corner Main and Beau streets, since 1900.

Another business college was conducted by Miss S. J. Carroll for three or four years ending in 1904.

The higher educational institutions of Washington are to be found under the general heading of Edu- cation. They are Washington & Jefferson College, Wash- ington & Jefferson Academy and Washington Female Seminary.

Washington Gas Company-A company to manufac- ture gas was organized in 1856 with a board of man- agers composed of Colin M. Reed, Joseph Henderson, Simon Cort, Jacob Slagle, Charles W. Hays, Freeman Brady, Jr., J. L. Judson, James W. Koontz and Alex- ander Seaman. Gas pipes were laid and a gas works erected the next year at a cost of about $31,000. The capital stock of the company was $20,775. The works were located across the street from where the Brit Hart grain elevator now stands and continued in operation until crowded out of business by the natural gas com- panies, about 1885. It cost about eight times what is now charged per thousand feet for natural gas. Will- iam Blackhurst was superintendent for many years. For street lighting and in many stores and dwellings natural gas has been superseded by electric lights.

Early Gas Developments-The earliest known drilling for oil and gas in Washington County was by the Wash- ington County Eureka Oil Company, organized in 1861. A shallow well was sunk on the Mannon, now the John

Johnson heirs' farm, at West Amity Station, on the Waynesburg and Washington Railroad. This well was drilled to a depth of 900 feet and abandoned. About the same time several wells were drilled by other com- panies at Prosperity, Lone Pine and in South Strabane Township, but all the workings were later abandoned.

The Niagara Oil Company came into the region in 1880, and drilled its first wells on the Alexander Mc- Guigan farm in Mt. Pleasant. C. D. Robbins was at the head of the company. In the second well at 2,247 feet, the largest flow of gas in the world was struck, and allowed to go to waste in the air for more than a year before a six-inch main was finally laid to Pittsburg. At the close of 1885 about five wells had been drilled in the Canonsburg field. By November 1, 1886, 17 wells in that field were supplying gas to Pittsburg.

On the 18th of March, 1884, the People's Light & Heat Company was organized. It commenced drilling on the Hess farm, one mile from Washington court house, but now in Washington Borough, and on the 30th of April struck an excellent flow of gas at a depth of 2,068 feet. A few months afterward another big well was struck on the Harvey property, a mile northeast of the Hess well. For some time these two wells supplied the town of Washington with gas.

The directors of the People's Light & Heat Company were Samuel Hazlett, John M. Stockdale, A. B. Cald- well, George W. Miller and John W. Lockhart. This company discovered and named the "Gordon Sand."

The Manufacturers' Natural Gas Company began busi- ness in 1883 and was incorporated in 1885 with a capi- tal stock of $600,000. The business met with great suc- cess and the plant increased in size. The company en- larged its field of operation and added modern improve- ments from year to year. Its operations were originally confined to manufacturers, but they later supplied do- mestic trade until they had an extensive list of manu- facturers and domestic consumers, located principally in Pittsburg, Washington and intermediate towns. The executive officers were H. B. Beatty, president; L. A. Meyran, vice president; E. H. Myers, treasurer, and H. E. Siebert, secretary.

Late in 1884 the Citizens' Oil and Gas Company was organized, and commenced a well on the Gantz mill property, opposite the Chestnut street station of the Pennsylvania Railroad in Washington. Instead of strik- ing gas the well penetrated a sand at 2,191 feet which produced oil. This was December 31, 1884. This com- pany gets credit of discovering the "Gantz Sand" and of producing the first oil in the county. It is still pro- ducing. The Gantz well made two flows, one in January and one in February, 1885, but after this the well was only a "pumper." For some time it was closed down, and later was drilled to the Gordon sand.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

This company operated for a few years and then dis- banded. The directors of this company were A. Mur- dock, G. M. Warrick, W. C. Bryson, H. N. Seaman, J. P. Miller, John McGuffie and C. M. Reed, Jr.

The Relief Gas Company was organized January 14, 1898, with M. C. Treat, W. R. MeIlvaine and Ellis M. Treat directors.

Manufacturers' Light and Heat Company-Washing- ton claims part of the honor of originating the Manu- facturers' Light and Heat Company, probably the largest and most important gas corporation in the world. It has grown within a few years from a comparatively small company, with less than $1,000,000 capital, to a a large corporation with a total capital of $25,000,000. The growth of this company is due largely to the strong grasp on the natural gas business of President H. B. Beatty particularly, and to the directors, who aided Mr. Beatty. The first officers were: President, H. B. Beatty; first vice president, O. H. Strong; second vice president, L. A. Meyran; treasurer, E. H. Myers; secretary, Henry E. Seibert, Pittsburg. The directors are: O. H. Strong, E. V. Selden, Henry F. Beers, H. M. Nichols, Fred N. Chambers, Oil City, Pa .; Henry B. Beatty, L. A. Meyran, E. H. Myers, George W. Crawford, Pittsburg; David Iseman, James Kuntz, Jr., Washington, Pa.

The company was first organized November 28, 1899, and was at that time a consolidation of the Manufac- turers' Natural Gas Company, Bellevue and Glenfield and the People's Light and Heat Company of Washing- ton. At that time this district covered the south side of Pittsburg, Bellevue and Glenfield, and some other neighboring districts.

At the present time the company embraces much more territory and furnishes gas to a large portion of Pitts- burg and practically all of the larger towns of South- ern Pennsylvania and in West Virginia and a greater portion of the northeastern end of the state. The com- pany also operates in Ohio and the pottery trade of East Liverpool and nearby obtains all of its fuel from this company. The first step in the policy of expansion which has resulted so successfully was the aquisition in 1903 of the entire capital stock of the Waynesburg Natural Gas Company, Waynesburg, Pa, Citizens' Nat- ural Gas Company of the same town and the Tri-State Gas Company of Pittsburg.

This strengthened the position of the company, but still greater strength was added early in 1904 when the company acquired and consolidated with it the Wheeling Natural Gas Company and the Ft. Pitt Natural Gas Company, both very large concerns. In the meantime the assets of the old company had increased in value to such an extent that the directors were enabled to de- clare a stock dividend of 200 per cent and in the organi- zation of the new company under the same name to

include the Ft. Pitt and other companies. The old stock was turned in and new stock on the basis of three for one was issued. Included in the assets of the Wheeling Natural Gas Company was the Venture Oil Company, one of the most successful of the many independent oil companies which have been successful in Western Penn- sylvania and West Virginia.

About this time the company authorized a capital stock of $25,000,000 and a bond issue of $7,000,000 and con- structed 70 miles of large pipe line from Virginia. through Washington County to Pittsburg. The gas line completed into Pittsburg cost $3,000,000.

The company owns the stock and operates the Wheel- ing Gas Company, composed of several subsidiary com- panies, the Tri-State Gas Company, the Wetzel County Gas Company, the New Cumberland Gas and Water Com- pany and owns several electric and illuminating com- panies in the Ohio Valley.

In addition to its own production a contract was closed with the Fairmont Gas and Light Company whereby the latter is to furnish the Manufacturers with 30,000,000 feet per day for the following six years, which with the big company's own supply will be ample to meet all needs.

The property of the Manufacturers' Light and Heat Company is carried on its books at $36,906,515, and its total resources approximate $38,500,000. It owns leases on oil and gas territory aggregating 475,000 acres lo- cated in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Of this total, 110,000 acres are developed with 1,264 producing wells, the remainder being held in reserve for future needs. It has upwards of 70,000 customers. The price of stock reached a high figure which dropped about three-fourths. in the panicky days of '07-8, but is gradually recovering.

The Ohio Fuel Company is another strong organization in which local men, M. C. Treat, William R. McIlvaine and David Iseman were early chief promoters, and of which much stock is held in Washington. It operates mainly in Ohio.

The Franklin-Washington Natural Gas Company was organized in 1906, the latest and one of the most suc- cessful companies. W. F. Borchers was the president; Murray A. Cooper, vice president, and Charles Ruch, secretary. The present officers are V. Q. Hickman, president; Lewis Sterritt, secretary, and R. C. McCon- nell, treasurer. The capital of the company is $100,000 and the mains cover the Eighth Ward. It also supplies plants in Chartiers Valley and has patrons in the other wards. There are about ten miles of high pressure mains. It has been very successful in locating wells and has an abundant supply of gas and some oil production.

The Southwest Pennsylvania Pipe Lines is a company under the control of the Standard Oil Company and came into Washington County about 1885. It is the

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

purchaser of the oil of this region and sets the standard price.

For many years the Forest Oil Company, an operating company of the Standard, had its offices here.

Citizens' Water Company of Washington-The agi- tation for the installation of a modern water works in Washington began in 1877, soon after Alexander M. Gow returned to Washington and purchased an interest in the "Reporter." He had lived in several of the growing and progressive towns of the west and was convinced that with its natural advantages Washington was destined to become a large place, its growth, in his belief, was dependent upon securing an adequate supply of good water which would insure fire protection and guarantee a sufficient quantity for domestic purposes and the flushing of sewers. Mr. Gow began a vigorous campaign of education, and the columns of the "Re- porter" show that for several years he carried this on, despite the ridicule of some of those who contended that on account of its distance from any large stream the cost of furnishing water for the town would be pro- hibitive. Mr. Gow had gone before his work brought results.

On December 9, 1885, application was made to the governor by T. F. Birch, B. M. Clark, John R. Kuntz, Harry P. Chambers and A. G. Happer, of Washington, and James S. Humbird, of Pittsburg, for a charter for the Citizens' Water Company. It was granted on Jan- uary 7, 1886. James McCullough, Jr., W. Pollock, V. Neubert and George H. Fox, of Kittanning, and Samuel Hazlett, of Washington, purchased the franchise for $6,750 and on June 28, 1887, let a contract to B. E. Adams, of Wheeling, to lay a 10-in. line on Main street, work to commence immediately. They also purchased about 54 acres of land on Chartiers Creek, about two miles west of the court house, for storage dams and pump station; 9 acres from William Paul, 17 from William A. Gabby, 15 from Frank M. Gabby and 13 from Priscilla Ramsey. A site for a reservoir was ob- tained on the summit of the hill opposite the entrance to the cemetery from Andrew McDaniel and the Robert Boyd estate, by condemnation proceedings. It contains about six acres. During the summer and fall of 1887 and the spring of 1888 work on the plant was pushed energetically. The principal streets of Washington were piped and a 10-in. main from the reservoir was laid, via West Maiden street, to Main street. From the reservoir to the pump station a 12-in. main was put down. A dam was built in the valley of Chartiers Creek which was supplied with water from the creek channel. This dam was 440 feet long by 320 feet wide and 6 feet deep. Its storage capacity was estimated at 6,000,000 gallons and it was thought this would be sufficient to supply the town. A brick pump station was erected and pumps

installed. Thomas Carney and Albert Chesley, of Wash- ington, Pa., were the contractors for the foundation for the pumps. During the summer of 1888 contracts for water were signed by a number of citizens to cost $4 per year for hydrant and pavement wash. Water was turned into the mains on December 1, 1888, and the fire plugs were attached on December 17.

In order to purify the water which was taken from the creek, the company dug a well 67 feet from its dam. This well was 54 feet in diameter and 20 feet deep. A trench was dug connecting the dam and the filter, which was 6 feet wide and 8 feet deep. It was divided into five sections of equal length. The first was filled with 2-in. sandstone; the second 114-in. sandstone; the third, with 34-in. sandstone; the fourth, with gravel and sand, and the fifth, with lump charcoal. This filter was used for about 13 years.

During the succeeding three years the patronage of the company increased to such an extent that it was found necessary to build another dam. This was located just above No. 1, and was nearly twice as large. It covers six acres of ground, is 750 feet long, 320 feet wide and 6 feet deep. It is estimated to contain 11,000,- 000 gallons. The two dams, however, combined would not hold enough water to supply the constantly increas- ing demand. In 1893 and 1894 the company tried the experiment of drilling deep water wells in the hope of securing a sufficient supply. In all, four wells were drilled, the deepest being about 400 feet. The best two of these wells made only about 8,000 gallons per day, and this convinced the company that the town could not be supplied in this way. The completion of the sewer system in Washington, in 1891 and 1892, caused a rapid increase in the demand for water. It so hap- pened that the summer of 1894 was very dry and the company was out of water for three or four months. In 1895 it had no water for three months. The com- pany determined to make a large expenditure and build a reservoir which it believed would be sufficient to supply the town for many years to come. It purchased 154 acres of the Shields farm and began the construction of a dam about a mile and an eighth above the other two. This No. 3 was considered at the time a mam- moth dam. It covers 30 acres; is 3,000 feet long, 700 feet wide at the breast, and 31 feet deep at the breast. The storage capacity is estimated at 106,000,000 gal- lons. The watershed is about two square miles, or 418,- 176,000 gallons. This estimate is based on the average rainfall for this locality. Dam No. 3 was completed in 1896, built by the Hallam Construction Company.

But the troubles of the water company had not ended. Its patronage increased steadily and about three years after the big Dam No. 3 was finished it again ran short of water. In the summer of 1900 the scarcity of the

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

supply was an annoyance to the company and its patrons. It became evident that a further large ex- penditure would be necessary in order to guarantee an ample supply of water to the town, and as one member of the old company had died and the others did not care to undertake the project, they concluded to sell their stock. Accordingly, on April 1, 1901, the com- pany passed into the control of Ernest F. Acheson, Will- iam I. Berryman, J. V. Clark, John W. Murray, Alvan Donnan, John H. Murdoch, W. C. Baldwin and Wilson S. Campbell. All these persons except Mr. Berryman were residents of Washington and deeply interested in its growth and prosperity, and Mr. Berryman had resided in and practiced law in Washington. They decided to build a fourth dam which would be large enough to insure the town an ample supply of water at all seasons, even if there should be no rainfall at all during a sum- mer. Accordingly about 500 acres of land were pur- chased from William Crispin and William C. Brownlee, and Dam No. 4 located about 3,000 feet south of No. 3 in another tributary of Chartiers Creek. The contract for its construction was let to the Latta & Terry Com- pany, of Philadelphia, who began work on October 1, 1901. This was the largest contract for a work of this kind ever let in this region and the dam is one of the largest in the state. Its dimensions are as follows: It covers about 80 acres of ground; is a little over a mile long; is 1,200 feet wide at the breast, and 50 feet deep at the breast. The storage capacity is over 600,000,000 gallons. The watershed is over two square miles. It is fed by numerous springs of clear, pure water. Dam No. 4 was finished in the fall of 1903 and connected with the other mains of the company on the day before Thanksgiving, 1904. Since that time Washington has had absolute assurance of an abundant supply of excel- lent water at all seasons.

When the new owners took charge of the plant, in 1901, they determined to not only secure an abundant supply of water but to furnish it to customers pure and free from all deleterious substances. Accordingly a modern gravity sand filter plant was erected at the pump station. It was modeled after the best plants which had been tested elsewhere in the country. Ex- perience of six years has proven that it is a first-class filter. The plant consists of sedimentation and settling tanks and four large automatic sand filter tanks, which are cleansed every day by machinery. The filter plant has a capacity of between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 gal- lons per day. By its use the water is made clear, spark- ling and free from all impurities.

Extensive additions were made to the buildings at the pump station and in 1904 a new pump was installed. It is a Worthington Triple Expansion with a capacity of 3,000,000 gallons per day.

During the summer of 1905 the reservoir on the hill was thoroughly cleaned and the bottom and sides ce- mented. This reservoir is 182 feet long and 100 feet wide at the bottom. It is 242 feet long and 170 feet wide at the top. Its depth is 20 feet and its estimated capacity, 3,700,000 gallons. In its construction 269,000 brick and over 2,000 barrels of cement were used. The inlet is 177 feet above the sidewalk in front of the court house.

The bottom of the reservoir is 309 feet above the pump station; it is 293 feet higher than the lowest point in Washington; it is 80 feet higher than Gallows Hill. Only one hill about Washington is higher-the point on the Workman farm between the town and the Washington Park, which is 13 feet higher. The pressure at different points in Washington varies from 40 to 146 pounds.

All the water now furnished by the Citizens' Water Company is secured from tributaries of Upper Chartiers Creek above all towns, coal mines and manufactories. The water has been shown by analysis to be remarkably pure, good and free from impurities. The total storage capacity of the company is now about 750,000,000 gal- lons. Forty-two miles of mains convey the water to all parts of the Greater Washington. The company has purchased over 700 acres of land in order to protect its reservoirs and watershed. Altogether more than $1,- 000,000 have been expended on this plant. While towns located on the banks of lakes or rivers may be supplied with water more easily and at less cost no town in the country has better water or assurance of a more stable supply than Washington.

At the present time the directors of the Citizens' Water Company are Ernest F. Acheson, J. V. Clark, Al- van Donnan, William I. Berryman, John W. Murray, John H. Murdoch, W. S. Parker and J. F. Taylor.

The officers are: Ernest F. Acheson, president; John H. Murdoch, vice president; Alvan Donnan, secretary ; J. V. Clark, treasurer and superintendent.

Washington Electric Light and Power Company-Few people remember the days when Washington was feebly lighted only as a contrast between total darkness and early twilight. But, although few may remember the time referred to, it has been in the number of years but a short time since the Washington Electric Light and Power Company first began conducting its business in the city. It was in 1889, a few years after the discovery of oil in the territory surrounding Washington, which had caused the town to grow as fast as any dozen of those which had gone before, that the company was organized for the purpose of producing electric power in this city.

Realizing that the stock of such a concern as this should be in local hands or that the greater portion

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

of it should be held by residents of the city, its organ- izers were most careful that the subscribers thereto were Washington citizens, so that today almost the entire capital stock of $250,000 is held by men of the city. The brilliant street lighting has added greatly to the safety and security in after night travel.

It was shortly after the inception of this company that the Washington Electric Street Railway Company began operating its cars over the streets of the city and this innovation was no doubt in a great measure due to the fact that power was already near at hand.

For a great many years after the building of the street railway system of our city, the power for the running of its cars was furnished by the Washington Electric Light and Power Company, in fact this arrange- ment was kept up until some few years ago the present interurban line to Canonsburg was built.

Upon the construction of this latter road, however, the directors of that company decided to furnish their own power, the plant of the Washington Company being too far from the Canonsburg end of the line for the transmission of power at the high tension requisite for the running of its heavy cars.

The main business of such a company as the local one is, however, chiefly with the city itself and with its various manufacturing and business houses, furnishing both power and light to some of the former and light to the latter.

The first plant of the company was located on East Maiden street, just west of the point where that thor- oughfare is crossed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, being one of the best small plants in the country at the time of its erection. In keeping with the increased business of the company it has erected an entirely new plant at the foot of Lincoln street, between the Balti- more & Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroads.

The new plant represents an outlay of approximately $125,000. Work was begun on the new buildings in June, 1906.

The new building is 150 feet by 85 feet and contains boilers of 1,600 horse-power, capable of developing 25,000 lights, while the old plant had a capacity of only 10,000 lights.

Sidings to the plant have been installed by both the Baltimore & Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroads. The building is modern in all respects, being fire-proof, with concrete floors, iron trusses and a very substantial struc- ture throughout.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 92

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474